Brownlee brothers make it a one-two for third successive year

The aspiring Olympic medallists made it a hat-trick of one-two finishes in this year’s race which saw 825 hardy souls complete the race over the snow-covered Chevin after starting out in Guiseley.

The current World Champion triathlete Alistair, appropriately wearing race number one, finished the just over seven mile course in 38.02 with World Junior Triathlon silver medallist Jonathan second in 39.02 and veteran Greg Hull - another regular Chevin Chase competitor -third in 41.46.

Alistair’s winning time was just short of his winning time of last year which was 37.19.

For the rising star of British triathlon this was his fourth Chevin Chase win - he missed out on running the race in 2006.

He did not have it all that easy though on the icy, snowy descents and was seen to perform some particularly impressive stunt rolls whilst the chasing pack were still nowhere to be seen at the two mile marker.

This was the 30th annual Chevin Chase and it is the most important Christmas sporting event in the Calendar locally.

To mark this special anniversary Dennis Gray - who organised the first Chevin Chase - was the race starter.

The Chase has grown from an initial field of 200 runners to the present race limit of 850 runners.

The quality of race entrants is shown by the fact that the winner of that very first race was Menston’s Richard Nerurkar, then a 15 year-old pupil at Bradford Grammar School. He went on to represent Great Britain in the marathon and came fifth in the Barcelona Olympics in 1996.

GB triathlete Richard Allen, from Otley, has competed in the past - more often than not with a smile on his face trying to fool race organisers and spectators alike in some outrageous disguises.

Dressed as a Christmas tree and going under the name of Chris McTree he finished third in the 2004 race. Prior to that he had run the race dressed as a Christmas pudding.

Although the race has a fun element with many runners in fancy dress it is still a real challenge and still a real magnet for the cream of West Yorkshire runners with recent past winners including Alistair Brownlee, Greg Hull and the Otley AC pair Ian Fisher and Neil Cayton.

A real glutton for Chevin Chase punishment is Dave Cowlishaw, the former London Irish runner, who in the 2006 race notched up his fifth second place finish in the race and was still there in the mix this time with fourth place.

Denis Gray’s own sport was actually mountaineering/rock climbing, but during National Service he took up running to keep fit for climbing whilst based in Manchester.

Throughout the intervening years Gray had taken part in many races over the country and the fells.

Capitalising on the boom in running in the 1970s, he spent many hours running around the Chevin by himself and with friends working out a course, and with the support of his former wife Leni, launched the first event on Boxing Day 1979.

For the first few years the Guiseley Methodist Schoolroom was used for changing, and the Senior Scouts acted as marshalls.

Well-known athletes who took part in those early years were Eric Smith from Otley, also a former international marathon runner, and Jack Bloor, a climber and fellrunner who had won the Three Peaks Race a few years before.

After the first few years based on the Methodist schoolroom the changing facilities moved to Aireborough Leisure Centre. The numbers taking part had more than doubled during that time.

Gray left Guiseley in 1987 and handed the race over to the Leisure Centre. With the help of local athletes and people who had helped over the preceding eight years, the Leisure Centre ran the event until AireCentre Pacers took it over.

This year’s race took the traditional route up Carlton Lane to The Chevin. Road closures were in place on Yorkgate and East Chevin Lane to enable the runners to pass.

Alistair Brownlee, runniung in the vest of Bingley Harriers came home exactly one minute ahead of his younger brother Jonathan (39.02) with Leeds City’s Greg Hull third in 41:46.

First male senior was Dave Cowlishaw in fourth place overall in 41:56 with Andrew Hunt (Otley AC) second senior in 43:20 and Martin Peace (Bingley Harriers) third senior in 44:13.

First male veteran was Leeds and Bradford Triathlon Club’s Tim Ashelford with Pudsey and Bramley’s Jon Holah second in 45:06 First male super veteran was Christopher Fill of St Theresa’s Athletic Club in 49:58.

The first lady home was Valley Strider Victoria Whitehead in 46:57 taking 26th place overall in the race - a very commendable effort. Second lady was Otley AC’s Josie Hodgetts in 47:52 and third was Charlotte Sanderson (Bingley Harriers) in 47:57.

First female senior was Jo Waites of Calder Valley Fell Runners in 48:16 with Otley AC’s Laura Martin second in 51:19 and Ruth Whitehead of Bingley Harriers third in 52:42.

First female veteran home was Bingley Harrier Alison Raw in 50:25 with Treena Johnson of Dewsbury Road Runners second in 51:14. Ilkley’s Jo Prowse was first female super veteran.

Another great day for the locals, not just the runners but all the spectators who come out to line the route.

1, Alistair Brownlee (Bingley H) 38:02; 2, Jonathan Brownlee (Bingley H) 39:02; 3, Greg Hull (Leeds C) first male senior 41:46 4, David Cowlishaw (Unat) 41:56; 5, Andrew Hunt (Otley AC) 43:20; 6, Thomas Midgley (Unat) 44:03; 7, Martin Peace (Bingley H) 44:13; 8, Andy May (Abbey R) 44:23; 9, Neil Armitage (Pudsey and B) 44:40; 10, Tim Ashelford (Leeds & Bradford Tri) first male vet 44:47; 11, Dave Wilby (Ilkley H) 44:51; 12, Jon Holah (Pudsey and B) 45:06; 13, Gwilym Thomas (Valley S) 45:10; 14, Shane Green (Pudsey and B) 45:16; 15, Ben Stevens (Ilkley H) 45:16; 16, Bob Addey (Otley AC) 45:32; 17, Shaun Wilkinson (Keighley and C) 46:00; 18, Will Kerr (St Bede’s AC) 46:04; 19, Andrew Robertshaw (Otley AC) 46:06; 20, Jonathan Folland (Unat) 46:42; 21, Peter Branney (Kirkstall H) 46:43; 22, Samuel Wadsworth (Wharfedale H) 46:44; 23, Jason Hemsley (Wharfedale H) 46:46; 24, Mike Gibbs (Unat) 46:48; 25, Nicholas Charlesworth (Wharfedale H) 46:54; 26, Victoria Whitehead (Unat) first female senior 46:57; 27, Jamie Hutchinson (Ilkley H) 47:00; 28, David Mcguire (Virgin Active RR) 47:02; 29, Steve Webb (Valley S) 47:03; 30, Al Powell (Pudsey and B) 47:13; 31,Tom Williams (Virgin Active RR) 47:15; 32, Marc Springer (Horsforth H) 47:16; 33, Ian Rowbotham (Ilkley H) 47:17; 34, Martin Archer (Ilkley H) 47:18; 35, Will Morris (Airecentre P) 47:20; 36, Christopher Burke (Unat) 47:23; 37, Lukas Lee (Keighley and C) 47:30; 38, Steven Cowlishaw (Unat) 47:32; 39, Mark Garnett (Unat) 47:37; 40, Andrew Meskimmon (Dewsbury RR) 47:39; 41, Jamie Thompson (Tadcaster H) 47:39; 42, Rob Thackray (Leeds & Bradford Tri) 47:42; 43, Christopher Dove (Skyrac) 47:46; 44, Ralph Tench (Ilkley H) 47:49; 45, Josie Hodgetts (Otley AC) 47:52; 46, Glen Johnson (Tadcaster H) 47:54; 47, Charlotte Sanderson (Bingley H) 47:57; 48, Rob Peat (Unat) 48:04; 49, Rob Grant (Unat) 48:06; 50, Stuart Pitches (Ilkley H) 48:11.

51, Jo Waites (CVFR) first female senior 48:16; 52, Richard Pattinson (Pudsey and B) 48:19; 53, Paul Freeman (Leeds & Bradford Tri) 48:23; 54, Lloyd Best (Otley AC) 48:25; 55, Julian Carter (Ilkley H) 48:29; 56, Phil Hinchliffe (Penistone FR) 48:32; 57, Dave Stephenson(Bingley H) 48:46; 58, Paul Mitchell (Bingley H) 48:49; 59, Thomas Storey (Unat) 48:52; 60, Richard Gibson (Pudsey P) 49:10; 62, Steve Low (Blackwater Valley R) 49:26; 63, Mike Mckenzie (Unat) 49:29; 64, Paul O’Looney (Ilkley H) 49:31; 65, Richard Reeve (Ilkley H) 49:33; 66, Jonathan Forey (Unat) 49:39; 67, Paul Kelly (Darlington H) 49:40; 68, Tim Metcalfe (Redhill RR) 49:45; 69, Richard West (Wakefield H) 49:54; 70, Christopher Fill (St Theresa’s) 49:58; 71, Michael Hinchcliffe (Skyrac) 50:02; 72, Robin Owen (Abbey R) 50:08; 73, Emma Inglis (Skyrac) 50:12; 74, Mick Hogan (Eccleshill RR) 50:15; 75, David Barras (Unat) 50:19; 76, Alison Raw (Bingley H) 50:25; 77, Jim Shenton (Unat) 50:34; 78, Robert Bumstead (Valley S) 50:38; 79, Andrew Exley (Unat) 50:46; 80, Chris Stacey (Otley AC) 50:50; 81, Tim Patterson (Airienteers) 50:51; 82, Leon Winder (Idle AC) 50:51; 83, Gavin Longley (Unat) 50:54; 84, Martin Inglis (Unat) 50:55; 85, Rogan Ashton (Otley AC) 51:01; 86, Nick Pearce (Ilkley H) 51:07; 87, Jonathon Lester (Skyrac) 51:09; 88, Andrew Leonard (Unat) 51:11; 89, Treena Johnson (Dewsbury RR) 51:14; 90, Benjamin Cousen (Otley AC) 51:15; 91,Thomas Morrish (Slobs AC) 51:17; 92, Laura Martin (Otley AC) 51:19; 93, Richard Wilkinson (Rothwell H) 51:22; 94, Steve Tindall (Unat) 51:24; 95, Richard Hamilton (Harrogate H) 51:25; 96, Lizzie Spencer (Leeds & Bradford Tri) 51:26; 97, Derek Oliver (Unat) 51:27; 98, Peter Kettleborough (Unat) 51:28; 99, Stuart Wilkinson (Unat) 51:33; 100, David Cooper (Halifax H) 51:37.

101, John Fortescue (Abbey R) 51:40; 102, Darren Pacey (Unat) 51:44; 103, Martyn Finn (Pudsey and B) 51:48; 104, Rob Cunningham (Ilkley H) 51:55; 105, Tom Paget (Otley AC) 51:56; 106, Tom O’Donnell (Unat) 51:56; 107, Ian Sanderson (Valley S) 52:04; 108, David Spink (Kirkstall H) 52:06; 109, John Halliwell (Abbey R) 52:09; 110, Paul Tranter (RSPB Staff Assoc) 52:11; 111, Martin Thompson (Tadcaster H) 52:16; 112, Robert Pritchard (Skyrac) 52:18; 113, Paul Stephens (Ilkley H) 52:22; 114, James Wadsworth (Wharfedale H) 52:23; 115, Rich Smith (Unat) 52:25; 116, Charlie Marshall (Keighley and C) 52:27; 117, Giles Lane (Unat) 52:28; 118, Neil Smith (Ilkley H) 52:29; 119, Adrian Worger (St Bede’s) 52:36; 120, Andrew Hudson (St Bede’s) 52:37; 121, Russell Gardham (Virgin Active RR) 52:40; 122, Ruth Whitehead (Bingley H) 52:42; 123, Dan Murray (Valley S) 52:44; 124, Hugh Pearson (Otley AC) 52:45; 125, Kate Bell (Unat) 52:45; 126, John MacNamara (Otley AC) 52:54; 127, Jon Trevelyan (Unat) 52:58; 128, Carl Vincent (Unat) 52:59; 129, David Barras (Leeds City) 53:00; 130, Karen Best (Otley AC) 53:06; 131, Giles Smith (Unat) 53:06; 132, Nigel Batty (Slobs AC) 53:08; 133, Tamara Hird (Wharfedale H) 53:09; 134, Vincent Bussingham (Eccleshill RR) 53:10; 135, Sally Malir (Ilkley H) 53:14; 136, Rob Olliver (Vale Royal) 53:15; 137, Simon Beverley (Pudsey P) 53:19; 138, Christopher Ainsley (Leeds & Bradford Tri) 53:20; 139, Duncan Mallison (Ranelagh H) 53:22; 141, Neil Chapman (Ilkley H) 53:23; 142, Chris Martin (Wetherby R) 53:25; 143, Rosalind Lee (British Military Fitness) 53:33; 144, Richard Scarborough (Unat) 53:34; 145, Jon Blane (Harrogate H) 53:37; 146, Jeremy Jackson (Unat) 53:38; 147, Mark Thompson (Unat) 53:39; 148, Adam Hartley (Rothwell H) 53:41; 149, Gary Carty (Pudsey P) 53:43; 150, Helen Williams (Virgin Active RR) 53:57.

151, Gill Myers (Wharfedale H) 53:38; 152, David Woodhead (Pudsey P) 53:59; 153, Paul Baildon (Baildon R) 54:00; 154, Robin Outtersides (Unat) 54:03; 155, Daniel Holah (Unat) 54:04; 156, Mike Ellis (Unat) 54:05; 157, Ben Imeson (Ripon R) 54:06; 158, Rebecca Cesar De Sa (Skyrac) 54:07; 159, Dave Bannister (Unat) 54:08; 160, Martin Savage (Kirkstall H) 54:10; 161, Claire Elener (Eccleshill RR) 54:11; 162, John Roche (Leeds & Bradford Tri) 54:13; 163, Nick Collier (Dark Peak FR) 54:14; 164, Michael Reynard (Pudsey P) 54:16; 165, Steve Milner (Dewsbury RR) 54:16; 166, Iain Dunn (Rothwell H) 54:22; 167, Mark Jordan (Harrogate H) 54:24; 168, Richard Morris (Leeds & Bradford Tri) 54:25; 169, Michael Smith (Bingley H) 54:26; 170, Tim Hayles (Calder VR) 54:26; 171, Mark Hunter (Valley S) 54:27; 172, Dave Tait (Dark Peak FR) 54:34; 173, Ingemar Janotta (Unat) 54:40; 174, Mark Dixon (Pudsey P) 54:41; 175, Richard Moon (Wetherby R) 54:41; 176, Jerry Barnes (York RC) 54:45; 177, Simon Redshaw (Valley S) 54:46; 178, Philip Sagar (Harrogate H) 54:46; 179, Chris Jones (Airedale A) 54:50; 180, Mark R Smith (Unat) 54:51; 181, Garth De Roux (Horsforth H) 54:59; 182, Barry Mordue (Crosstrax) 55:00; 183, Adam Bromley (Unat) 55:06; 184, Patrick Barrett (Valley S) 55:09; 185, Paul Gidlow (Unat) 55:10; 186, James Cullen (Unat) 55:10; 187, Leanne Hague (Kippax H) 55:11; 188, Malcolm Denison (Kirkstall H) 55:14; 189, Stephen Raby (Unat) 55:15; 190, Greg Skerrett (Valley S) 55:17; 191, Chris Wilson (Unat) 55:17; 192, Tim Edwards (Skyrac) 55:27; 193, Mark Dey (Unat) 55:30; 194, John Wallace (Valley S) 55:32; 195, Gavin Beevers (Unat) 55:34; 196, Adrian Grainger (Chapel Allerton RR) 55:36; 197, Mark Lester (Unat) 55:37; 198, Richard Thomas (Kirkstall H) 55:38; 199, Simon Gorham (Unat) 55:39; 200, Alistair Smyth (Valley S) 55:39.

201, Paul Cotton (Todmorden H) 55:45; 202, Paul Croft (Leeds & Bradford Tri) 55:46; 203, Jake Harris (Ackworth AC) 55:49; 204, Simon Green (Unat) 55:50; 205, Willie Milne (Dragons RC) 55:53; 206, Tony Brayshaw (Idle AC) 55:53; 207, Graham Harvey (Unat) 55:55; 208, Lorne McNeill (Baildon R) 55:58; 209, Adam Bennett (Ilkley H) 56:01; 210, Fred Gibbs (Bingley H) 56:04; 211, Renee Saxton (Otley AC) 56:10; 212, Sharron Smith (Bingley H) 56:13; 213, Graham Parker (Unat) 56:14; 214, Steph Scott (Tynedale) 56:15; 215, Phillip Ladd (Unat) 56:18; 216, Simon Wright (Bingley H) 56:22; 217, Simon Chapman (Ilkley H) 56:23; 218, Rob Ollerenshaw (Leeds & Bradford Tri) 56:24; 219, Paul Ebrey (Pudsey P) 56:25; 220, Katie Scatchard (Unat) 56:26; 221, Deborah Stockley (Leeds & Bradford Tri) 56:27; 222, Martin Hendron (Leeds & Bradford Tri) 56:28; 223, John Oram (Unat) 56:29; 224, David Lewis (Idle AC) 56:30; 225, Michaela Sill (Rothwell H) 56:31; 226, Darryl Stead (Pudsey P) 56:31; 227, Gary Carlisle (Kirkstall H) 56:34; 228, David Gillian (Abbey R) 56:37; 229, Steven Buddle (Unat) 56:42; 230, Andy Coombs (Leeds & Bradford Tri) 56:57; 231, Kate Archer (Ilkley H) 57:00; 232, Fraser Priestley (Unat) 57:01; 233, Chris Giles (Unat) 57:02; 234, David Swinton (Unat) 57:03; 235, Stephen Exley (Unat) 57:04; 236, Rachel Wolfenden (Ilkley H) 57:07; 237, Richard Wadsworth (Wharfedale H) 57:20; 238, James Feddo (Unat) 57:21; 239, Michael Kipling (Unat) 57:21; 240, Martin Dodsley (Una) 57:22; 241, Alison Bennett (Ilkley H) 57:22; 242, John Buddle (Baildon R) 57:24; 243, Alex Lloyd (St Bede’s) 57:25; 244, Lucy Partridge (Abbey R) 57:27; 245, Rob Grafton (Unat) 57:27; 246, Graham Curtis (Kippax H) 57:29; 247, Martin Gebbett (Horsforth F) 57:35; 249, Richard Pullan (Virgin Active RR) 57:38; 250 1150 Catherine Gibbons (Ilkley H) 57:40.

251, Fred Clapham (Ripon R) 57:41; 252, Chris Outtersides (Sydney Striders, Australia) 57:43; 253, Keith Hill (Unat) 57:44; 254, Paul Clifford (Unat) 57:50; 255, Richard Baines (Unat) 57:51; 256, Nicholas Koral (Unat) 57:52; 257, Tony Haygarth (Valley S) 58:00; 258, Sean Birch (Unat) 58:03; 259, John Lawrie (Dragons RC) 58:05; 260, Simon Bowens (Baildon R) 58:10; 261, Phil Robinson (Otley AC) 58:11; 262, Neil Lloyd (St Bede’s) 58:12; 263, Kevin Blackhurst (Kirkstall H) 58:15; 264, Tim Done (Keighley and C) 58:16; 265, Satvinder Mann (Unat) 58:17; 266, Tim Harding (Unat) 58:20; 267, George Bailey (Una) 58:21; 268, Paul Cotterill (Unat) 58:22; 270, Jonathan Brownbill (Valley S) 58:28; 271, Christopher Glover (Kirkstall H) 58:30; 272, David Bower (Aire Valley R) 58:37; 273, Anthony Audsley (Wakefield H) 58:38; 274, Victoria Wadsworth (Keighley and C) 58:39; 275, John Woodward (Ilkley H) 58:43; 276, Russell Thomas (Ilkley H) 58:43; 277, David Pringle (Unat) 58:52; 278, John Hutchinson (Kirkstall H) 58:53; 279, Robert Maden (Una) 58:56; 280, Janet Wright (Aire Valley R) 58:57; 281, Richard Fennel (Leeds & Bradford Tri) 59:02; 282, Scott Warbrick (Unat) 59:08; 283, Bob Jackson (Valley S) 59:10; 284, Alan Ladd (Unat) 59:12; 285, Michael Cummins (Unat) 59:21; 286, Steve Wood (Horsforth H) 59:23; 287, Dave Taylor (Ilkley H) 59:25; 288, James Sneath (Unat) 59:26; 289, Stephen Dixon (Valley S) 59:26; 290, Mary Green (Bingley H) 59:27; 291, Val Done (Wharfedale H) 59:29; 292, John Blyth (Leeds & Bradford Tri) 59:30; 293, Serena Blackburn (Unat) 59:31; 294, Craig Savage (Dragons RC) 59:32; 295, Laura Marks (Wetherby R) 59:34; 296, Bob Baker (Otley AC) 59:34; 297, Chris Lonestaff (Unat) 59:35; 298, Michael Hopkinson (Unat) 59:40; 299, Paul Redshaw (Unat) 59:40; 300, Jamie Gibbs (Unat) 59:40.

Full results are on the AireCentre Pacers website airecentre-pacers.co.uk